Towel-folding machine



L. F. MUSTEE June 9, i925. 1,541,374

TOWEL FOLDING MACHINE Filed t, 21, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 14 51 4 w .67 Z 60 6'4 16%.4 1.3 I

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L. F. MUSTEE TOWEL FoLM NG MACHINE Fil'ed Oct. 2 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 gmnniot iFMustee June 9, 1925. 1,541,374 w L. F. MUSTEE TOWEL FOLDING MACHINE F d on, 21, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 L.FMuJ SZee A3; Gum/ne Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

LAWRENCE F. MUSTEE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T JOSEPH H. MILLER.

TOWEL-FOLDING MACHINE.

Application filed October 21, 1922.. Serial No. 596,064.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Liuvnmvcn F. Mtrs'rnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Towel-Folding Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for folding table-napkins, towels and other articles, and has for its main object to provide an automatic folding machine similar to that disclosed in Pat. No. 1,404,636 granted to me Jan. 24, 1922, but embodying certain improvements in its design and operation.

In order that the invention will be clearly understood, the same will be hereinafter fully described as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Similar characters of'reference are used in the different views of the drawings to designate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a folding machine constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine, half of the top thereof being broken away to better show the construction, Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 4, Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of the machine, certain parts being broken away to better show the construction, Fig. 5 illustrates the valve actuating means for controlling the suction to the suction-head 22, the valve being in its open position, Fig. 6 is a similar view, the valve having then closed, Fig. 7 illustrates the trip-members for operating said valve, Fig. 8 illustrates the valve actuating means for controlling the suction to the suction-head 73, the valve being in its closed position, Fig. 9 is a similar view, the valve being in its open position, Fig. 10 is an end view of Fig. 8 looking toward'the left, Fig. 11 illustrates the valve actuating mechanism for controlling the suction to the suction-head 113, the'valve being in its open position, 12 is a similar view, the valve having been closed, Fig. 13 is an end View of Fig. 12, looking toward the right, Fig.14 is a sectional view illustrating the pivotal and adjustable connection between the lever 129 and the rod 133, and Fig. 15 illustrates the means of pivotally connecting the pipe. 122 to the suction tank 41.

resent the vertical sides and 3 the horizontal top of a suitable frame for the machine. The top 3 is open at 4 and supports a board 5 having a transverse slot at 6. From the sidesof the slot 6 depend spaced plates 7 and 8 forming a vertical guide for the first fold of the articles to be folded, and from the sides of the central space 9 of the rear plate 8 extend spaced plates 10 and 11 forming a longitudinal guide for the second fold of the articles to be folded. Forming a part of the frame of the machine are pairs of lower and upper longitudinal guide rails 12 and 13 for supporting pairs of rollerwheels 14-15 and 16-17 of carriages 18 and 19, which carry valve casings 20 and 21, connected by a tube 22 forming a suctionhead. The tube 22 is provided at its lower side with a slotted mouth 23 to which the articles to be folded are drawn, and bars 24 are arranged crosswise of said mouth to limit the entrance therein of the same. Said suction-head is moved longitudinally by means of angular, lever arms 25 and 26, Which'are fixed to the ends of a rock-shaft 27 rotatably supported in the sides of the frame, and having their upper slotted ends 28 and 29 engage rollers 30 and 31 on the projecting ends of a shaft. 32 connecting thecarriages 18 and 19 and carrying the roller-wheels 14 and 16. The lever arms 25 and 26 are slotted at 33 and 34 for receiving rollers 35 and 36 of cranks'37 and 38, respectively, which cranks are fixed to the ends of a power shaft 39 rotatably mounted in the sides of the frame and driven in any suit able manner as by a gear 40 fixed to said shaft. The valve casings 20 and 21 are connectedwith any suitable suction means, as toa tank 41 to which is connected a pump 42, by tubes 43 and 44 having their upper ends bent inwardly and rotatably connected as at 45 to said valve casings while their other ends are slidably mounted within tubes 46 and 47 having their inwardly bent lower ends rotatahly connected to said tank. For controlling the suction through the valve casings 20 and 21 so that the suction will act to draw articles to be folded against the mouth 23 when the suction-head is in the position shown, and cut off the suction when the suction-head is at the other limit of its movement, a valve as 48 is carried by an arm 49, which is fixed to a shaft 50 pivotally mounted in each ofsaid valve casings. To the projecting end of the shaft 50 is fined a cross-lever 51 having a roller 52 at the end of one of its arms, which is adapted to engage the downwardly curved surface 53 of a trip- 1nember :Sd and the upwardly curved surface 55 of a trip-member 56 for operating the valve. Said tripmembers 54 and 56 are supported by longitudinally extending rods 57-58, which. are fixed in upright brackets 59-60 of the frame of the machine, and are adjustably fixed to said rods by means of set screws as at To the other arm of said cross-lever 51 is pivoted at 62 a plunger rod .63 having its free end loosely mounted in the closed end of a barrel 64, with a nut 65 upon said free end. Said barrel is pivoted as at 66 to the valve casing, and a suitable coiled spring 67 arranged in said barrel between a plunger .68 of said rod and the closed end of the barrel tends to hold the valve either in itsopen or closed position. A finger 69 extends from the crossslever 51 and is adapted to engage the stop lugs 70 and 71 projecting fromthe valve casing for limiting the movement of the valve.

, A. table-napkin, towel or other article to be folded, as designated by 72, is fed towards the transverse slot 6 of the topboard 5 in any suitable manner, until ts forward .edge is under the slotted mouth 23 of the suction-head tube 22, when the same will be drawn thereto due to the valves e18 having been opened as the suction-head moves to that position by the striking of the curved surface 53 of the trip member 54 by the roller 52. As the suction-head is moved in the opposite direction, the article 72 is carried thereby until its center is directly over the slot ;6, at which moment the roller 52 will strike the curved surface 55 of the trip member 56, thereby cutting off the suction by closing the valves 48 and allowing the article to fall.

For drawing the arti le 72, between transverse plates 7 and 8 for folding the same, as soon as said article falls from the suction-head 22, vertically movable suction-head 7 3 is provided. This suction-head is fixed to a transverse bar 74:, the ends of which are slidably mounted upon vertical guide rods '7 5 7 6 carried by the frame of the machine, and is actuated by means (of slotlevers 77 and '78 having one of their ends fixed to transverse shaft 79 rotatably mounted the sides of the frame and their other downwardly extending ends as 80 pivoted to links as 8 1, which are pivoted between lugs at '82 projecting fron i-the face-of said bar. "The levers 7 and 78 are actuated by rollers at 83 of cranks 8a engaging the sidesof the slots thereof Said irranks are .lixed to a sh ft 85, which is rotatablv mounted in the frame of the machine suitable means from the driven vby any P WQ Sh 39 a gears indicated at 86.

the

The suction-head 73 is telescopically con nected by a pipe 87 to a vertical tube 88 from which extends a branch 89 to a valve casing 90 connected by pipe91 to the tank ell. Suction from the tank ll to the sin tionhead 73 is controlled by means of a valve 92 in the valve casing 90. Said valve is fixed to a shaft 93 rotatably mounted in the valve casing and having at one end an arm 94; carrying a roller '95, and at its other end an arm 96, to which is pivoted the plunger rod of a spring barrel'97, similar to the spring barrel 6 1, retaining said valve in .its' open or.closed position. A suitably inclined cam 98, carried at the lower end of a bar 99 which is slidably mounted in a vertical guide 100 supported by the rear plate 8, isadapted to engage the roller for closing the valve 92. The bar 99 is held in its upper position by means of a coiled spring 101 which is attached to a foot 102 ex ending therefrom and the frame of the machine, and is forced downwardly against the action of said spring by the transverse bar .74 engaging a bolt 103carried by said foot. Said bolt is adjustably secured .in the foot .102 to provide for changing the travel of the bar 99. The mechanism for opening the valve 92 consists of a link 104 pivoted to the roller arm 94 and to the arm .of a bell-crank 105 which is pivotally supported upon the pipe 91, and a depending leg .106 having a bevelled shoulder 107 is pivoted tothe. other arm of said bell-crank. The leg 106 hangs vertically through the slotted free end 108 of an arm 109, the other end of which is fixed to the rock-shaft 27. The lower edge of the arm 109 is ,cut out at 11.0 to provide a nib 1-11 for engaging the shoulder .107 of said leg to force the leg downwardly to open said valve when the suction-head 73 is at the upper limit of its travel. Justbefore said suction-head reaches the downward limit of its travel, a member 112 carried by the arm 109, by engaging the forward edge of the leg, causes it to swing rea-rwardlyso that its shoulder 107 will clear the nib 111 of the arm 1.09 to allow the cam 98 to close the valve.

At. the moment the suction-head 73 is at the downward limit of its travel and the valve 92 is closed to cut off the suction thus releasing the article 72 being folded, a .horizontally movable suction-head 11-3 is in p.0- sition to draw said article between the before mentioned spaced plates 10 and 11 for its second folding. The suction-head 113 is supported by .a transverse shaft 114-, upon the ends of which are roller-wheels as 115 for traveling upon longitudinal trackrods as indicated at 1.16 and having their ends fixed to the frame of the machine and the rear guide plate 8. From the suctionshead 113 extends a branch 117 terminating in a laterally extending pipe 118, which is pivot- Til ally connected at 119 to a valve casing 120. From the valve casing 120 extends a tube 121, which is slidably mounted in a pipe 122 having a transverse head 123, theends of which are P1V0132LllY't'OI1I16Ct9Cl to the tank 11. The suction-head 113 is retained in the horizontal plane by a link 12% which is pivotally hung from a transverse shaft 125 supported upon roller-wheels as 126 for travel ing upon the track rods 116, and in the lower end thereof is pivoted a pipe 118 ex tending laterally from the valve casing. Side bars as 127 serve to hold the shafts 114 and 125 in parallel relation. The suctionhead 113 is reciprocated by means of the roller 83 of the crank 84 engaging the sides of the slots indicated by 1280f upright levers 129 and 130 having their lower ends pivoted as at 131 to the sides of the frame of the machine, and having their upper ends pivotally connected at 132 with one end of rods as 133, the other ends of which rods are pivotally connected to the transverse shaft 114. The pivotal connection at 132 is formed by means of a block 1341 provided with an opening for receiving the rod 133 and having a trunnion 135 which is pivoted in said lever. Nuts as 136 are threaded upon the rod at each side of the block 13 lfor' adjusting the travel of the suction head 113. In the valve casing 120 is a valve 137 fixed to a shaft 138 having arms at each end thereof, one of which carriesa roller 139 while to the other is pivoted a spring barrel 1 10 for holding the valve in its open or closed position, all as previously described in con nection with the valve casing 90. For opening the valve 137'to admit suction through the valve casing 120 when it is adjacent the rear guide plate 8, a bracket 141 is pivotally suspended from the shaft 11 1 for tarrying a transverse pin 142 on one endof which is pivoted a push-bar 1&3 having a downwardly bent end 1 1% for engaging the roller 139, and on its other end a roller 1 15, which is adapted to be engaged by the lower bevelled edge 1 16 ofa cam 147 at the upper end of the bar 99. The free end of the push-bar 1 13 is slidably supported in a hanger 1&8 depending from the shaft 125. For closing the valve 137 to cut off the suction and thus release the article after being folded, a tripmember 149 is fixed to the frame of the machine, and its rising rounding surface 150 is arranged in alignment with the travel of the roller 139.

Operation: The table-napkin, towel or other article to be folded as designated by 72, is fed towards the transverse slot 6 of the top-board 5 in any suitable manner and as its forward edge comes under the slot 23 of the suction-head 22, it is drawn thereto as the valves 48 are open, they having been opened by the rollers 52 striking the curved surfaces53 of the trip-members 54 as said suction-head moves to the left. As the suction-head is moved in the opposite direction by the lever arms 25 and 26, the article 72 is carried thereby until its center is over the slot 6 of the top-board 5, and is dropped therefrom due to the rollers 52 striking the curved surfaces 55 of the trip-members 56 thereby closing the valves 18 and cutting off the suction to said suction-head. The article 72 is then drawn downwardly at its center between the plates 7 and 8, for folding it for the first time from end to end, by the suction-head 73, which was moved to its upper position by the lever arms 77 and 78 while the suctionhead 22 was moving to the right. At the moment'the suction-head 73 reached the upper limit of its movement, the valve 92 was opened by the arm 109 to cause suction, and as said suction-head is moved downwardly by said lever arms the article is carried thereby, until said suction-head' reaches the downward limit of its movement and said valve is closed and the suction cut off by the inclined cam 98, which is moved downwardly by said suction-head, acting upon the roller 95. As the suctionhead 73 moves downwardly, the suctionhead 113 is moved to the left by the lever arms 129 and 130, and at the moment the suction-head 73 reaches the downward limit of its movement, the suction-head 113 is at the rear guide plate 8, and the valve 137 for the suction-head 113 is opened by the downward movement of the cam 147 to cause suction for drawing the article 72 between the plates 10 and 11 to make the second fold. When the suction-head 113 carrying the article 72 reaches the limit of its movement to the right, the valve 137 is closed by the roller 139 striking the curved surface 150 of the trip-member 149, thereby cutting off the suction and permitting the article 72, now folded for the second time, to fall from the suction-head.

From the drawings and description, it is readily seen that such a machine is capable of automatically folding table-napkins, towels and other materials, and it will be understood that slight changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims. I

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is: p

1. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suction-heads, the suction-heads being connected with suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suctionhead's, means for retaining the valves in their closed or open positions, means for opening said valves, and means for closing said'valves, substantially as described.

2. In va towel folding machine, the combination of a transverse suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a transverse suctionhead adapted to move vertically, a vertical suction-head adapted to move longitudinally, means for moving .said suction-heads, the suction-heads being connected with suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, means for retaining the valves in their closed or open positions, means for opening said valves, and means i'or closing said valves, substantially as described.

-23. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving .said suction-heads, the suction-heads being connected with suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suctionheads, means for retaining the valves in their closed or 0 3811 )ositions means for opening the valve of the first mentioned. suction-head, means for closing the valve of the second mentioned suction-head when the valve of the first mentioned suctionhead is opened, means for closing the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, and means foropening the valve of the second mentioned suction-head when the valve of the first mentioned suction-head is closed, substantially as described.

4. In a towel fol-ding machine, the combination of a transverse suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a transverse suctionhead adapted to move vertically, a vertical suction-head adapted to move longitudinal-- ly, means for moving said suction-heads, the suction-heads being connected with suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, means for retaining the valves in their closed or open positions, means for opening the valve oi the-first mentioned suction-head, means for closing the valve of the second mentioned suction-head when the valve of the first mentioned suction-head is opened, means for closing the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, means for opening the valve of the second mentioned suction-head when the valve of the first mentioned suctionhead is closed, means for opening the valve of the third mentioned suction-head when the valve of the second mentioned suctionhead is closed,. and means for closing the valve of the third mentioned suction-head when the valve of the second mentioned suction-head is opened, substantially as described.

5. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suctionheads the suction-heads being connected with suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, the valves being fixed to pivotally supported shafts, arms extending from the shaft of the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, means connected to one of the arms for retaining the valve-in its closed or open position, means adapted to be engaged by the other arm for closing or opening the valve, and insane for causing the opening and closing of the valve of the second mentioned suction-head upon the closing and opening of the valve of the first mentioned suctio-nrhead, substantially as described;

6. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suctionheads,the suction-heads being connected with suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, the valves being fixed to pivotally supported shafts, arms extending from the shat-t of the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, a pivota-lly supported barrel, a plunger rod slidably mounted in the barrel, a spring tending to hold the plunger rod in its outer position, the plunger rod being pivoted to one of said arms for retaining the valve in its closed or open position, trip-members adapted to be engaged by the other arm for closing or opening the valve, and means for causing the opening and closing of the valve of the second mentioned suction-head upon the closing and opening of the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, substantially as described.

7. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suctionheads, the suction-heads being connected with suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, means for retaining the valve of the first mentioned suction-head in its closed or open position, means for opening said valve, means for-closing said valve, the valve of the second mentioned suction-head being fixed to a pivotally supported shaft, arms extending from the shaft, a pivotally supported barrel, a plunger rod slidablymounted in the barrel, a spring tending to hold the plunger rod in its outer position, the plunger rod being pivoted to one of said arms for retaining the valve in its closed or open position, means for actuating the other arm to open the valve upon the closing of the valve of the first mentioned suction-head,

and means for actuating said other arm to close the valve upon the opening of the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, substantially as described.

8. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suctionheads, the suction-heads being connected With suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, means for retaining the valve of the first mentioned suction-head in its closed or open position, means for opening said valve, means for closing said valve, the valve of the second mentioned suction-head being fixed to a pivotally supported shaft, arms extending from the shaft, a pivotally supported barrel, a plunger rod slidably mounted in the barrel, spring tending to hold the plunger rod in its outer position, the plunger rod being pivoted to one of said arms for retaining the valve in its closed or open posi-- tion, means including a pivotally supported leg for actuating the other arm to close the valve, means for forcing the leg in one direction to open the valve upon the closing of the valve of the first mentioned suctionhead, and means for actuating said other arm to close the valve upon the opening of the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, substantially as described.

9. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suctionheads, the suction-heads being connected by suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, means for retaining the valve of the first mentioned suction-head in its closed or open position,

means for opening said valve, means for closing said valve, the valve of the second mentioned suction-head being fixed to a pivotally supported shaft, arms extending from the shaft, a pivotally supported barrel, a plunger rod slidably mounted in the barrel, a spring tending to hold the plunger rod in its outer position, the plunger rod being pivoted to one of said arms for retaining the valve in its closed or open position, means including a pivotally supported leg for actuating the other arm to close the valve, the leg having a shoulder, a lever arm adapted to engage the shoulder for forcing the leg in one direction to open the valve upon the closing of the valve of the first mentioned suctionhead, means carried by the lever arm for pushing the leg out of engagement With the lever arm, and a cam for engaging said other arm to actuate it for closing the valve upon the opening of the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, substantially as described. I

10. In a toWel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suction-heads, the suction-heads being connected With suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suctionheads, means for retaining the valves in their closed or open positions, means for opening the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, means for closing the valve of the second mentioned suction-head when the valve of the first mentioned suction-head is opened, means for closing the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, means for opening the valve of the second mentioned suction-head when the valve 7 of the first mentioned suction-head is closed, the valve of thethird mentioned suction-head being fixed to a rotatably mounted shaft, arms extending from the shaft, means connected to one of the arms for retaining the valvein its closed or open position, a cam for actuating the other arm for opening the valve upon theclosing of the valve of the second mentioned suction-head, and a trip-member adapted to be engaged by said other arm for closing the valve upon the opening of the valve of the second mentioned suction-head, substantially as described. v

11, In a towel folding machine, the 001m bination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suction-heads, the suction-heads being connected With suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suctionheads, means for retaining the valves in their closed or open positions, means for opening the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, means for closing the valve of the second mentioned suction-head When the valve of the first mentioned suction-head is opened, means for closing the valve of the first mentioned suction-head, means for opening the valve of the second mentioned suction-head when the valve of the first mentioned suction-head is closed, the valve of the third mentioned suction-head being fixed to a rotatably mounted shaft, arms extending from the shaft, means connected to one of the arms for retaining thevalve in its closed or open position, a push-bar adapted to engage the other of said arms for opening the valve, a cam for actuating the push-bar to open the valve upon the closing of the valve of the second mentioned suction-head, and a trip-member adapted to ,be engaged by said other arm for closing the valve upon the opening of the valve of the second mentioned suction-head, substantially as described.

12. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted to move horizontally, a suction-head adapted to move vertically, means for moving said suctionheads, the suction-heads being connected With suction means, valves for controlling the suction through said suction-heads, the valves being fixed to pivotally supported shafts, arms extending from the shaft of the first mentioned suction-head, means connected to one of the arms for retaining the valvein its closed or openposition, means adapted to be engaged by the other arm for at various positions, and means for causing the opening and closing of the valve or the second nientioned suction-head upon the closing and opening of the valve of thefi'rst mentioned suction-head, substantially as described. l L 7 1 3.- Ina towel'folding machine, the combination of a suction-head adapted tonnove horizontally, means for moving the suctionhead, the suction-head being connected with suction means, a valve for controlling the suction through the suction-head, means for opening said valve, means for closing saidval-ve, and adjustable means whereby the time said means opens and closes said valve;

may be changed, substantially as described.

H. In a towel folding machine, the combination of a movable emotion-head, means for moving the suction-head, the'suctioribiii'ation of a movable suction-head, means for moving the suction-head, the suction? 7 head being connected with suction means, a valve for controlling the suction through the' suction-head, the valve being fixed to a shaft pivotally supported in the suctionhead, an armextending from the shaft, means adapted to be engaged by the arm at the beginning of the movement of the sue-- tlOll-lxGtKlfOl opening the valve and at the end oil the movement of the suction-head for closing said valve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afix' my signature.

LAlVRENC-E- F. MUSTEE; 

